Contbol apparatus fob leers



1,631,151 June 7, 1927- J c, PARKINSON CONTROL APPARATUS FOR LEERS Filed Oct. 1926 Patented June 7, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH CARL PARKINSON, OF TARENTUM, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR T PITTS= BURGH PLATE GLASS COMPANY, A CORPORATION 0115 PENNSYLVANIA.

CONTROL APPARATUS FOR LEERS.

Application filed October 14, 1926. Serial No. 141,545.

The invention relates to control apparatus for tunnel leers, such as are used for annealing plate glass. In such leers, trouble has always been experienced in holding the desired temperatures under varying W1I1Cl-OO1'l- (lit-ions, which cause air currents to flow up and down the long straight away portion of the leer, known as the runway. When these wind conditions are severe, it becomes almost impossible to operate. To illustrate, if the Wind blows in at the entrance end, at which the ovens are located, the oven fronts are cooled to too great an extent, while in the runway, the temperatures are too high, the glass coming outat the end, at too high a temperature. On the other hand, if the wind blows toward the outlet end of the runway, the temperature is lowered, giving a too sharp drop in runway temperature, causing breakage and an overheating or the ovens at the entrance end of the leer to such an extent that the stowing tools are injured or destroyed. Fans have been used in various ways to combat wind conditions, but without success, due in part at least to the fact that pressure blowers have been em ployed of high velocity and'small volume, as compared with the size of the leers, rather than blowers of large volume, delivering air at relatively low pressures.

The present invention involves the use, at the outlet end of the runway, of a blower, or blowers, deliverin a large volume of air at low pressure, an arranged so that either pressure or suction may be applied at such end. The function of this arrangement is not necessarily to cause currents of air to flow up or down the runway, but rather to neutralize any currents which might otherwise be induced by the wind condition heretofore referred to. The control of the blower is preferably efi'ected from the instrument room at the oven end of the leer, where indicators are located for showing the temperature conditions which exist throughout the length of the leer, the operator located at this point regulating the blower to hold the desired temperature condition. One embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 1s a diagrammatic plan view showin the outlet end of the runway of a plate g ass leer. And Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic vertical section of the Fig. 1 con struction.

teferringto the drawings, 1 is the outlet end of a runway, which may be ofconvelr tional construction, being provided with a series of rolls 2 for carrying the sheets of glass 3 through the leer, although any other means may be employed for this purpose,

such as the regulation leer bars commonly used in plate glass leers. Extending transversely of the top of the leer are the I- beams 4; upon which are supported the motor 5 and the fan blower 6 for supplying the necessary air pressure and exhaust. Also extending transversely of the end of the leer is the header box '7 rectangular in cross section and connected with the four pipes 8 spaced across the width of the leer and directed into the leer as indicated in F ig. 2. The blower is provided with an inlet pipe 9 and an outlet pipe 10, the latter leading into the header 7. A third pipe 11 forms a bypass between the pipes 9 and 10, as indi cated in Fig. 1. The pipe is also provided with the laterally extending outlet pipe 12. The flow of air through the various pipes is controlled by means of the gates 13, 14, and 16.

lVhen the fan is used for blowing, the gates 13 and. 15 are open and the gates 14 and 16 are closed. l/Vhen the blower is used for suction, the gates 14 and 16 are open and the gates 13 and 15 are closed. Under the first condition stated, the operation of the blower sucks air in through the pipe 9 and discharges it through the pipe 10, while under the second condition, the blower sucks air in through the pipes 10, 11 and 9 and discharges it through the pipes 10 and 12. In this manner, it is possible to supply a large volume oi air into the end of the leer in the direction indicated by the arrow or it is possible to withdraw air in the reverse direction, thus neutralizing any currents which may be set up in the runway incident to adverse wind conditions. The amount of air which is required under varying conditions may be regulated by the amount of opening of the various gates and by the speed of the motor.

What I claim is:

1. In combination with a tunnel leer, conduit means lying in the outlet end of the leer and directed longitudinally thereof, and blower means connected therewith and arranged so as to cause a flow of air through the conduit in either direction.

2. In combination with a tunnel leer, conduit means lying in the outlet end of the leer and directed longitudinally thereof, a tan blower having a casing and connections whereby either the outlet from the fan casing or the inlet to such casing may be con nected to the conduit means.

In combination with a tunnel leer, a header extending across the leer at the outlet end, outlet means from the header directed into the leer toward the rear and arranged across the width of the leer, and blower means and connections arranged so as to cause a flow of air through the outlet means in either direction.

4:. In combination with a tunnel leer, a header extending across the leer at the outlet end, outlet means from the header di rected into the leer toward the rear and arranged across the width of the leer, a fan blower having a casing, and connections whereby either the outlet from the tan casing or the inlet to such casing may be connected to said outlet means.

in testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 13th day of Sep tember, 1926,

JOSEPH CARL PARKINSON. 

